Cronulla skipper Cameron McInnes has declared his team can defy history as they prepare to travel south for Saturday's qualifying final in Melbourne.
The Sharks face an uphill battle to defeat the minor premiers, with the stats suggesting finals victories on the road are hard to come by.
According to data compiled by rugby league historian David Middleton, the away team has won just 31 of 90 playoff games since 1998, a 34.4% win rate.
Interestingly, teams have a slightly better record when travelling overseas or interstate for finals, claiming 17 of 41 games at 41.5%.
The stats exclude games played at a neutral venue and finals played during COVID.
Storm v Sharks – Round 10, 2024
McInnes is aware of the magnitude of the task ahead but takes confidence from the fact Cronulla defeated the Storm in Melbourne earlier this season.
"It's tough because of their record," McInnes said. "They're a champion side, have a lot of good players and they play really good footy so it's tough but you try your best to understand it's just footy.
"If you can play your footy and try block out the occasion as best you can, that's the best recipe. It doesn't mean I'm saying it's easy to do but if you can do that, you give yourself a chance. That's what it's about."
Match: Storm v Sharks
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Storm
1st Position
away Team
Sharks
4th Position
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
It's a similar mindset across the league, with the Roosters, Sea Eagles and Knights all embracing the chance to stun their opponents on their turf.
Manly defeated the Bulldogs in front of 35,502 fans just two weeks ago and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has declared his side is ready to produce a repeat performance in front of a crowd expected to exceed 50,000.
10 years on from a Bulldogs and Manly Finals epic
The Sea Eagles are eager for their fans to make the trip to Accor Stadium to lift their team on Sunday afternoon.
Plenty have written the Roosters off after injuries to Sam Walker, Brandon Smith and Victor Radley but they are determined to shock the Panthers at Bluebet Stadium on Friday night.
Newcastle face the toughest road trip of the weekend, making the long trek to Townsville to play the Cowboys at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday night.
It's understood the club is considering the use of a charter flight, a strategy used by Melbourne for their Round 26 trip to the city, in a bid to minimise travel time.
The Knights have struggled in Townsville over the years. They have never won at Queensland Country Bank Stadium and their last victory in the city was back in 2015.
Cowboys v Knights – Round 2, 2024
North Queensland prevailed 21-20 thanks to an 81st minute Chad Townsend field goal when the teams played at the venue in Round 2 earlier this year.
Newcastle captain Kalyn Ponga knows the region well, having made his NRL debut for the Cowboys in 2016, and said his side won't let history derail their quest for a premiership.
"There's some things that are tough about it but at the same time it's exciting to go up there and be challenged in that way," Ponga told NRL.com.
"We'll make sure we prepare well, go up there knowing what we need to do and focus on executing it. They're a talented team full of strike players so hopefully we can limit that as much as we can."
Match: Cowboys v Knights
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Cowboys
5th Position
away Team
Knights
8th Position
Venue: Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
North Queensland, for their part, are relishing the opportunity to spend a week at home prior to the sudden-death clash.
The advantages of playing at Queensland Country Bank Stadium extend beyond the reduced travel, with the hot and humid Townsville weather and a rabid fan base also working in their favour.
The Cowboys had a mixed record at the ground this year, winning seven from 12 throughout the season.
Cowboys v Storm – Round 26, 2024
Captain Tom Dearden recognises his side has a major advantage on Saturday night but said it will mean nothing if they don't turn up ready to produce their best.
"A home final means so much to the community and the people up there," Dearden told NRL.com. "Some people drive five to ten hours to come and watch us play.
"We know how much it means to them so it's going to be special to play in front of a packed-out stadium on Saturday.
"It's sudden death from now on. They've got Ponga who's very dangerous at the back so it's going to be a tough game. We're going to have to do everything we can to make sure we get the win in front of our home fans."
